EYE STRAIN AFTER LONG PERIOD OF ONLINE STUDYING

Because of the prolonged epidemic situation, the traditional face-to-face learning method has been changed to online learning to protect the health of students and teachers all over the country. However, with that comes the harmful eye strain because of studying online with constant exposure to computer and phone screens. This situation makes it difficult to live, study and work. So why do you experience eye strain when studying online and how to overcome this situation?

1. What causes eye strain?

Eye strain occurs when the eyes have to work and focus on digital devices for long periods of time. Common habits that lead to eye strain are as follows:

• When using digital devices such as computers and phones, we unintentionally forget to blink, but blinking is the key to providing moisture, preventing eyes from drying out.
• The distance between the eyes and the digital screen is extremely important because it directly affects the eyes during work time.
• The low contrast level of the computer screen will cause the eyes to work too hard and not be healthy, always in a state of fatigue.
• The most effective working environment for the eyes is the environment that is balanced between natural light and artificial light, helping the eyes to have the best regulation.
• The most common habit is not having time to rest your eyes during long hours of continuous work or long-distance driving that requires high concentration.

Besides eye strain, there are other symptoms such as red eyes, watery or dry eyes, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, increased sensitivity to light, etc.

2. How to treat and prevent eye strain?

Signs of eye strain along with other symptoms will put the eyes at risk of different diseases. So it’s best to consult your doctor. However, when your eyes show signs of fatigue, you can prevent or minimize eye strain by changing your lifestyle habits or living environment. Here are some ways to help prevent or reduce eye strain when you look at digital devices for long periods of time:

• Apply the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, rest your eyes for about 20 seconds break by looking aimlessly at something about 20 feet away from you. This rule will help you give your eyes time to rest and recover from a period of intense work.
• Make sure you are working with the computer screen at a reasonable distance, about 50-70 cm from your eyes to the screen, and blink more often.
• Make sure your eyes are comfortable with the ambient light, and adjust the brightness needed to make it as suitable to the eye as possible.
• Use specialized eye drops to help provide moisture and nutrients to the eyes and recover in a short time before returning to work.
• Clean the eyes daily after finishing work with specialized eyewash solutions to keep the eyes clean and not hinder the recovery process of the eyes.
• The eye is a part that works non stop except when we are asleep. Therefore, do not use products; that are unreliable and of unknown origin or do not use them without consulting a doctor, which will negatively affect your life and work.
• Limiting the time exposed to digital screens by replacing electronic devices with outdoor entertainment, maximizing working time and capacity in a reasonable way will make eyes not overloaded.

Complications caused by eye strain will be directly affected by the blue light emitted by computer and phone screens, including the following:

• Directly affects the retina, reducing the eye's accommodation ability, which is the cause of refractive errors in the eyes.
• Blue light coming from computer screens, phones also puts the eyes at risk of cataracts, making the eyes weaker.
• Macular degeneration is also one of the common diseases when exposed to blue light continuously for a long time.
• In addition, blue light also disturbs your sleep, making it impossible for the eyes to recover so the eyes are always in a state of fatigue, exhaustion and no working energy.

To conclude, if all the tips fail and you still experience eye strain, you should see a doctor for advice and solutions that are suitable for each person's eye condition and for each different case. However, taking the right steps to take care of your eyes will not only help relieve eye strain, but also prevent conditions such as blepharitis, conjunctivitis, or vision damage. In addition, in order to have beautiful and healthy eyes, we need to pay attention to proper nutrition and regular eye exercise.

Sources:

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Vinmec Hospital